Preliminary Final, 1954
Melbourne vs Geelong
Saturday 18 September
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 50,985
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 1.1 | 3.3 | 7.5 | 10.7.67 |
| Geelong | 2.3 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 7.8.50 |
Melbourne win by 17 points
Goalkickers: Ken Albiston 3, Noel Clarke 3, Ron Barassi 1, Robert B Johnson 1, Clyde Laidlaw 1, Stuart Spencer 1
Milestones:
Nil
With the Demons having fallen into fourth place, and suffering a 15-4 premiership player disadvantage Geelong went into the match favourites. In heavy conditions they looked like good value with two goals in the first 15 minutes before Melbourne scored. The Reds were missing Peter Marquis in the ruck, who had failed to come up from a pulled thigh muscle at training but in the rainy, muddy conditions it didn't hurt them too badly and the side with five teenagers in their ranks were back to within a goal at half-time.
Initially Geelong's pace had them on top, but their attack was poor and chances continually broke down through poor play on a ground that had been chopped up by rain and a Seconds curtain raiser. Melbourne's first goal came after 17 minutes, and Geelong didn't add another until the first of the second quarter. The margin was as goal at the long break.
Conditions cleared for the second half, and despite having to replace the injured Noel McMahen at the break the Demons kicked three goals in a row into the wind to take the lead into the last quarter. They had their troubles up front during the day, with Clarke often having to take on three defenders, but had slowly worked their way back into the contest and led by 11.
In a game with a surprisingly high standard of play given the conditions Melbourne held on to win, extending their lead in the final term after a tough battle. The Cats closed the margin to nine, and were on top but with their poor forward playu they couldn't break through for another goal to cut the margin to less than six points. Stuart Spencer eventually booked his side a spot in the Grand Final with a late goal.
At the final siren the ball was in Lance Arnold's hands, and he threw it high in the air in celebration. In contrast, five players tried gleefully to carry Denis Cordner off, but he refused.
Best were Cordner, Williams and Melville. Adams and Mithen were 19th and 20th men. McMahen (injured thigh) was replaced by Mithen after half time. Johnson injured his stomach.
Selected team
B: Beckwith, Arnold, McMahen
HB: Williams, Christie, Collins
C: Lane, Melville, McLean
HF: Case, McGivern, Laidlaw
F: Albiston, Clarke, Johnson
R: Cordner, Barassi, Spencer
Res: Adams, Mithen
Emg: Wilson, Dixon, Bull
Media
Sun - 15/09/1954, 18/09/1954
Argus - 15/09/1954, 16/09/1954, 17/09/1954, 20/09/1954
Age - 15/09/1954, 16/09/1954, 17/09/1954, 18/09/1954
Sporting Globe 15/09/1954, 18/09/1954,
18/09/1954, 25/09/1954
Mercury - 17/09/1954
Herald - 17/09/1954, 17/09/1954, 18/09/1954
Football Record - Grand Final 1954